Book picks similar to
Radio Boy by Christian O'Connell


children
hugo
children-s-lit
general-fiction

I Swapped My Brother On The Internet


Jo Simmons - 2018
    'Oh sweet mangoes of heaven!' Everyone has dreamed of being able to get rid of their brother or sister at one time or another – but for Jonny, the dream is about to become a reality with SiblingSwap.com! What could be better than someone awesome to replace Ted, Jonny's obnoxious older brother. But finding the perfect brother isn't easy, as Jonny discovers when Sibling Swap sends him a line of increasingly bizarre replacements: first a merboy, then a brother raised by meerkats, and then the ghost of Henry the Eighth! What's coming next?! Suddenly old Ted isn't looking so bad. But can Jonny ever get him back? A hilarious tale of wish fulfilment gone wrong that every child will relate to – perfect for fans of Pamela Butchart, My Brother is a Superhero and David Baddiel's The Parent Agency.

The Pudding Problem


Joe Berger - 2017
    Most of his lies are harmless; tall tales and the product of an overactive imagination. So when Sam is summoned to explain a strange discovery—a ping-pong ball in a jar of peanut butter—and denies involvement, no one believes him. Then more seemingly unrelated peculiarities emerge, and Sam categorically denies any knowledge of those, too. In between these mysterious accusations, and with evidence mounting against him, Sam ruminates on the different sorts of lies he has told using examples from his past. Meanwhile, two pounds of potatoes wind up in the washing machine. Sam comes to a decision: he decides it is time to come clean about this latest tangled web. He gathers his family to hear the truth. The whole truth. Or is it? Could it be that this final “truth” is, in fact, another lie?

Athena the Brain


Joan Holub - 2010
    She has never quite fit in at Triton Junior High, but who would've guessed that Athena is actually a goddess? Principal Zeus's daughter, to be exact.When she's summoned to Mount Olympus Academy, Athena thinks she might actually fit in for the first time in her life. But in some ways, school on Mount Olympus is not that different from down on Earth, and Athena is going to have to deal with the baddest mean girl in history: Medusa!

Burly and Grum and the Secret City


Kate Tenbeth - 2011
    Burly and Grum show Max a secret city in the the middle of the forest but hunters are tracking them down. They knock out Burly, capture Max and want to turn the Secret City into a tourist attraction. Throw in some big cats, Grum's mother and brothers, Mike the Angel, a deer and a few ducks and the day becomes very exciting!

How to Be a Supervillain


Michael Fry - 2017
    But to his family's utter disappointment, Victor doesn't have a single bad-guy bone in his body. He won't run with scissors, he always finishes his peas, and he can't stand to be messy. Hopeless!As a last-ditch effort before they give up and let him be a--gasp!--civilian, Victor's exasperated parents send him to apprentice under a disgraced supervillain called The Smear. This matchup starts off as a complete disaster, but Victor and The Smear eventually find that they have a lot to learn from each other. When the stakes get high as Victor is forced to choose between his mentor and his family morals (or lack thereof)...what will the world's nicest bad guy do?In this rollicking middle-grade adventure, Michael Fry's witty text and hysterical artwork combines superhero action with classic fish-out-of-water humor.<!--EndFragment-->

The Candy Mafia


Lavie Tidhar - 2018
    But as soon as the teddy turns up, Eddie himself goes missing! As a seemingly innocent investigation unravels into something more sinister, Nelle and her friends quickly find themselves swept up in a shady underworld of sweets smugglers, back alley deals, and storefront firebombs.If Nelle has any hope of tracking down her missing client, first she'll have to unmask the true faces behind the smuggling ring. Can Nelle and her friends find a way to take the cake? Or will they come to a sticky end...?Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets Bugsy Malone in this page-turning mystery from World Fantasy Award-winning author Lavie Tidhar. With moody spot illustrations by Daniel Duncan, readers will be sucked into the action-packed narrative as Nell pulls the curtain back on the black market candy rings.

Alex Sparrow and the Really Big Stink


Jennifer Killick - 2017
    He is also a human lie-detector. Working with Jess, who can communicate with animals, they must find out why their friends – and enemies – are all changing into polite and well behaved pupils. And exactly who is behind it all.Alex Sparrow and the Really Big Stink is a funny, mid-grade novel full of farts, jokes and superhero references. Oh, and a rather clever goldfish called Bob. In a world where kids’ flaws and peculiarities are being erased out of existence, Alex and Jess must rely on what makes them different to save the day.

The Curse of Ravenscourt: A Samantha Mystery


Sarah Masters Buckey - 2005
    Is it the curse - or is something else scaring the residents from Ravenscourt?

Niagara Falls, Or Does It?


Henry Winkler - 2003
     It's science project time in Ms. Adolf's class. This is good news and bad news for Hank-he loves science, but he hates the report part. So Hank turns to TV to take his mind off things. But when the program directory scrolls by too quickly for Hank to know what's on, he decides to take apart the cable box to try to slow down the crawl. Great! Now Hank has found the perfect science project! But what he wasn't counting on was his sister's pet iguana laying eighteen eggs in the disassembled cable box. How is Hank going to get out of this one? Illustrated by Carol Heyer.

The Great Hamster Massacre


Katie Davies - 2009
    I'm supposed to be writing my What-I-Did-In-The-Summre-Holidays story for school, but I'm going to write this story first...Anna and het brother, Tom, have always wanted a pet. After their latest pestering campaign Mum finally gives in and lets them choose a pair of hamsters from the local pet shop. But their happiness soon turns to horror when they discover the hamsters mysteriously slaughtered in their cage. Anna and Tom begin an investigation into the hamster homicides. Can they solve the case of the Great Hamster Massacre?

You Can't Make Me Go To Witch School!


Em Lynas - 2017
    SHE IS NOT A WITCH! But Daisy soon becomes drawn into the mysteries of life at Toadspit, and finds that she even has a few magical surprises up her sleeve. . .The adventures of Daisy the reluctant witch are perfect for fans of magical school stories.

Not My Fault


Cath Howe - 2019
    But will the trip – and a life-threatening adventure – fix their relationship… or break it for good?A beautiful story of family, forgiveness, and finding out who you are, from the author of the highly-acclaimed Ella on the Outside.

The Hen Who Wouldn't Give Up


Jill Tomlinson - 1967
    And when Hilda makes up her mind, nothing can stop her. Hilda’s auntie has just had a family of chicks, and she’s determined to visit them. But how is Hilda going to travel the five miles to her auntie’s farm?

Hamstersaurus Rex


Tom O'Donnell - 2016
    Sam tries to protect Hammie from an overzealous Hamster Monitor, and from the meanest bully in the history of Horace Hotwater Middle School. The bully isn’t afraid of some weird little class pet. But maybe he should be. Hamstersaurus Rex is no ordinary hamster.

I Am Not a Loser


Jim Smith - 2012
    The first of three notebooks belonging to Barry Loser—perfect for reluctant readers, this silly series will be enjoyed by fans of Diary of a Wimpy KidI've never minded that my name's Barry Loser because my coolness has always cancelled it out, but ever since Darren Darrenofski joined school with his horrible little crocodile face he's been completely ruining my life about it.Follow Barry as he tries throw off his loserness, take revenge on the terrible Fronkle-burping Darren Darrenofski, and finally becomes a winner.